Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday reserved its orders on a petition filed by Suryanelli rape case victim challenging the discharge of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson PJ Kurien from the case in April 2007.

The Kerala High Court had in 2007 discharged Kurien for lack of evidence.

The victim, in her petition, had stated that the High Court order was passed without hearing her and she was not made a party to earlier proceedings.

Justice P Bhavadasan reserved orders without specifying any date.

The case related to the rape of the girl by 40 odd men in 1996 when she was only 16. The victim was then taken to various places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and allegedly raped by different persons, according to her.

A special court had sentenced 36 persons to rigorous imprisonment in 2000. However, on an appeal, the High Court acquitted all of them except one stating that the girl had consensual sex with all of them, challenging which the Supreme Court was moved over eight years ago.

After the shocking incident of gang-rape of a paramedic student in a Delhi bus in December last year, the case, it came up before the Apex Court which reversed the High Court's judgement.

One of the accused, Dharmarajan, was arrested after he spoke to a television channel a few months ago.

Though Kurien was never made an accused in the case, the victim, who said that she recognized him after his photograph appeared in a newspaper report, had alleged that he was among her tormentors.

A court in Idukki had in March this year rejected a plea by the victim for a re-probe into the alleged involvement of Kurien in the case, holding that there was no new ground for a fresh investigation.

Her subsequent plea in the High Court seeking further investigation was rejected last month.